A Delhi court on Thursday granted bail to BJP MP and outgoing Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, in connection with a sexual harassment case filed by women wrestlers.
Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) Harjeet Singh Jaspal of Rouse Avenue court granted the bail and directed the accused to not leave the country without any prior permission. Suspended WFI assistant secretary Vinod Tomar has also been granted bail.
The court also directed the two accused persons to by no means threaten or influence the complainants or witnesses.
The ACMM said, “I am granting bail on a bond of ₹25,000 each with certain conditions and all conditions are to be meticulously followed.”
Earlier on Tuesday, the court had granted both the accused persons interim bail till Thursday.
The court said the chargesheet was filed without arrest and the accused persons cooperated with the investigation. Advocate Rajiv Mohan, representing the accused, submitted that they would abide by all the conditions put forward.
“There was no threat given, and if there is apprehension for the same, I am undertaking that no such incident will happen,” Mr. Mohan submitted.
On July 7, the Delhi court had taken cognisance of the 1,500-page chargesheet filed by the Delhi Police, and the accused were summoned by the court for offences under IPC 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 354A (sexual harassment), 354D (stalking) and 506 (criminal intimidation).
Representing the Delhi Police, the public prosecutor, asked the court to try the accused as per law and impose certain conditions if relief was granted. On being asked if he was opposing the bail application, the public prosecutor said, “I am neither opposing the bail nor supporting it.”
“Application should be dealt as per law and the order passed by the court,” he told the court.
However, counsel for the complainants had opposed the bail application, stating the accused was very influential.
“Bail shouldn’t be granted, and if at all it is granted, strict conditions must be imposed against the accused. There have been instances where witnesses have also been approached from time to time, no threat though,” he told the court.
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Olympian Sakshi Malik, who has been at the forefront of the wrestlers’ protest since January this year, told The Hindu that it was disappointing that they had to see this day, despite the protests amidst rain, heat and political pressure.
“We went to the police station, we went to the Supreme Court, looking for justice. Today, we stand with no hope, a person accused of sexual harassment is given bail, where can women in the country go, if not to the courts?” Ms. Malik said.
She said the wrestlers were now focussed on the Asian Games and would later decide what had to be done next.
Ms. Malik said that women wrestlers would continue to fear that the WFI chief may interfere in any activity.
“They have heard stories of trauma, it will be difficult to explain to young girls to not be scared of anybody. If he can be let out on bail, where’s the legal process?” Ms. Malik said.
